Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Archdiocese looks to curb priest’s social media posts

New Jersey church officials are looking to curtail the online
comments of a priest who’s called Hillary Clinton an “evil witch” and
former President Barack Obama a “bum.”The Reverend Peter West of St. John’s Catholic Church in Orange posted the comments on Facebook and Twitter.

He also has called moderate Islam “a myth” and expressed support for
President Donald Trump’s travel ban, as well as described millennials as
“snowflakes” and liberals as “smug and arrogant.”

Some people have denounced the 57-year-old West as a “hatemonger” who
promotes divisiveness. At least one person complained about him to the
Newark archdiocese in December, West said in a post.

West has 7,300 Facebook followers.

His comments run counter to
statements of inclusion made by Pope Francis and by Cardinal Joseph
Tobin, who leads the Newark archdiocese.